Lantern holder

ABSTRACT

A lantern holder and mount which may be detachably mounted on a boat or other supporting surface wherein the upright hanger member on which the lantern is suspended may be disengaged from the base portion and stored when not in use. The suspending portion has an upper hanger bracket engageable with the bail of the lantern and a lower engaging portion with a plurality of vertically spaced hangers thereon engageable with the lower rim of the lantern tank. The lower end of the upright support has a head thereon engageable in a J-slot in the base member in angular non-rotative engagement with the base.

[ 51 Mar.28,1972

[54] LANTERN HOLDER [72] Inventor: Claude A. McCown, 3619 Oakwood Drive, Grapevine, Tex. 76051 [22] Filed: Aug.27, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 67,495

Mallison Schultz Chuala Cannon ..248/146 Primary Examiner-J. Franklin Foss Attorney-Howard E. Moore and Gerald G. Crutsinger 5 7] ABSTRACT A lantern holder and mount which may be detachably mounted on a boat or other supporting surface wherein the upright hanger member on which the lantern is suspended may be disengaged from the base portion and stored when not in use. The suspending portion has an upper hanger bracket engageable with the bail of the lantern and a lower engaging portion with a plurality of vertically spaced hangers thereon engageable with the lower rim of the lantern tank. The lower end of the upright support has a head thereon engageable in a J-slot in the base member in angular non-rotative engagement with the base.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 PATENTEDmzs m2 INVENTOR CLAUDE A. MCCOWN Maw ATTORNEY LANTERN HOLDER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises a lantern holder having a base plate which may be secured to the deck of a boat or other surface. An upright rod-like support member may be detachably secured to the base member by means of a ball-like head which may be inserted through an enlarged opening in the base which is joined to a narrow passage with an ofiset slot therein whereby the enlarged head on the upright support member may be inserted through the enlarged passage, the shank of the upright support pass through the reduced passage, and then moved into the offset passage and locked in place by an appropriate nut, such as a wing nut, so that the lantern support is engaged to the base plate in leaning position so that when the lantern is suspended thereto, it will be suspended in leaning position to direct light downwardly at an angle. The shank of the upright support member has opposed flat sides thereon which slidably fit in the reduced slot in the offset portion which prevent the upright support from rotating after being moved into the said slots. The upright support has a hanger bracket adjacent the upper end on one side, thereof and a tank engaging bracket on the other side of the upright member adjacent the lower end thereof. The lower bracket has spaced engaging members thereon which are arranged to engage the bottom rim of the lantern tank to thereby permit the adjustment of the angularity of the lantern with reference to the surface on which it is attached. The upright support member may be secured in place by means of a wing nut which may be turned downwardly on threads adjacent the enlarged head.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a lantern support which may be detachably engaged to an appropriate surface such as a deck of a boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lantern holder having a base with a detachable upright member which may be quickly attached and detached from the base in fixed non-rotative position so that it may be removed for storage when not in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means between the upright member and the base to prevent rotation of the upright member with relation to the base.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means to adjust the angularity of the lantern with reference to the surface to which it is attached.

A still further object of the invention is a lantern support comprising an upright member attachable to a base member at an angular leaning position.

Still another object of the invention is the provision in the lantern support of positive engagement between the support and the lantern to prevent disengagement therefrom while in use.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed specification hereinafter following and by referring to the drawing annexed hereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of the lantern holder mounted on the bow of a boat with the lantern shown in broken lines suspended thereto;

FIG. II is a top plan view taken on the line lI-II of FIG. I;

FIG. III is a top plan view of the base plate without the upright support member attached thereto;

FIG. IV is a partially sectionalized fragmentary side elevational view of the enlarged head of the upright support member secured to the base plate;

FIG. V is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. IV showing the opposed flat sides of the upright support member adjacent head which slidably fit in the transverse slot and offset slot of the base member to prevent rotation of the upright support member.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A base plate 1 has mounting holes 2 in the corners thereof through which same may be mounted to a suitable surface such as the upper surface of a boat 4 by means of mounting bolts 3.

A rod-like upwardly extending support member 5 has a rounded head 6 on the lower end thereof adjacent to which is provided threads 7 on which the wing nut 13 is threadedly engaged.

Flat sides 8 are provided on opposite sides of the threaded portion 7 adjacent the head 6 for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. The base plate 1 is formed to provide an elongated upwardly extending cavity 1a therein, through the upper surface of which is formed a J-slot 9. The J-slot 9 includes enlarged opening 10 through which the head 6 may be inserted. The J- slot 9 also includes a transverse slot 1 1 and an offset slot portion 12 joined therewith. An upper bracket 14, having angu larly disposed legs 14a and 14b thereon is secured to the upper end of the upright support 5. The arms 14a and 14b have aligned slots 15 formed in the upper edge thereof each of which includes a rounded portion 16 and a straight portion 17 for the purposes hereinafter mentioned.

A lower bracket 18 is secured to the upright support 5 near the lower end thereof and is on the opposite side of the support 5 from the bracket 14. The bracket 18 includes angularly disposed legs 19 and 20 which have a plurality of aligned hooks 21 thereon, each of which has a rounded outer end 21a engageable with the lower rim 22 about the bottom of the tank 23 of the lantern 24 to engage same therewith.

The bail 25 of the lantern 24 is engageable in the slot 15 and is disposed in the enlarged rounded portion 16 thereof to provide freedom for pivotal movement.

The operation and function of the device hereinbefore described is as follows:

The base plate 4 is attached to the boat or other surface by means of screws 3. When it is desired. to mount a lantern to said base plate the head 6 is passed through the passage 10 and the flats 8 are aligned with the sides of the slot 11 and pass therethrough. After passing therethrough the upright member may be disposed in leaning position by rotating the flats in position so that they will slidably pass into the offset passage 12. The rounded head 6 is rotatable in the cavity la to permit this operation. After being passed into the offset slot 12 the wing nut 13 may be turned downwardly upon the thread 7 to tightly engage the upright member to the base member in fixed position, and it cannot rotate by reason of the flat sides 8 engaging the edges of the slot 12. The lantern may then be suspended to the upright member 5 by passing the bail 25 into the slot 17 so that it is suspended in the enlarged rounded area 16 thereof. The lower rim 22 of the lantern tank 23 may then be engaged with the appropriate hangers 21 depending upon the angularity desired with reference to the surface on which the light from the lantern is to be reflected. The lantern is thus suspended to the support in angular or leaning position so that the light may be concentrated on the surface of the water or other surface. The angularity of the lantern may be quickly adjusted by disengaging the rim 22 from the hangers 21 to which it is engaged and moving the tank upwardly or downwardly to engage other aligned hangers 21.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A lantern holder comprising, a base plate; a support member arranged to be disengageably attached to the base member; spaced angularly disposed hook members on an upper end of the support member, said hook members having aligned open slots in upper edges thereof arranged to receive the bail of a lantern; spaced angularly disposed legs secured to said support member intermediate opposite ends thereof, each of said legs having a plurality of aligned upwardly facing hooks thereon which are vertically spaced, each of said hooks being engageable with the lower rim of a lantern tank whereby the lantern may be adjusted in angularity with relation to the support member; means engageable between the support member and the base member to prevent relative rotation therebetween; and means engageable between the support member and the base member to fix the support member and base member against relative pivotal movement.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the means to detachably connect the support member to the base member comprises a slot in the base member, an enlarged head on the support member, said slot having an enlarged passage therethrough to receive the enlarged head and a transverse slot joined with the enlarged passage and to which the support member adjacent the head may be moved; a threaded portion on the support member adjacent the head; and a nut threadedly engaged with the threaded portion arranged to be engaged with the base portion to fix the support member against pivotal movement with relation to the base portion.

3. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the threaded portion has opposed flat sides which may slidably move in the transverse slot to prevent rotation of the support member relative to the base member.

4. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the slot in the base member includes an offset portion joined with the transverse slot whereby the upright member may be leaned in an angular direction with relation to the base member.

5. The combination called for in claim 4 wherein the threaded portion has flat sides on opposite sides thereof slidably engaged with the transverse slot and with the offset slot to prevent rotation relative to either of said slots.

6. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein each said slot has an enlarged rounded portion at the lower end thereof in which the lantern bail may freely rotate.

7. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein each of said hooks on the angularly disposed legs includes an enlarged rounded portion on the upper edge thereof engageable with the lower rim of a lantern tank.

8. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the enlarged head is rounded and the plate includes an outwardly formed cavity therein in which the slot is disposed.

9. A lantern holder comprising, a base member having a concave surface defining a cavity therein and a curved slot extending through said concave surface communicating with said cavity; a passage having a width greater than the width of the slot extending through the concave surface; a support member extending through said slot; means on said support member adapted to support a lantern; a rounded head on said support member, said head having a width greater than the width of the slot but less than that of the passage; and means on the support member engageable with a surface of the base member to limit rotation of the rounded head in the cavity.

10. The combination called for in claim 9 with the addition of means on the support member engageable with said base member to limit rotation of the support member relative to the base member about the longitudinal axis of the support. 

1. A lantern holder comprising, a base plate; a support member arranged to be disengageably attached to the base member; spaced angularly disposed hook members on an upper end of the support member, said hook members having aligned open slots in upper edges thereof arranged to receive the bail of a lantern; spaced angularly disposed legs secured to said support member intermediate opposite ends thereof, each of said legs having a plurality of aligned upwardly facing hooks thereon which are vertically spaced, each of said hooks being engageable with the lower rim of a lantern tank whereby the lantern may be adjusted in angularity with relation to the support member; means engageable between the support member and the base member to prevent relative rotation therebetween; and means engageable between the support member and the base member to fix the support member and base member against relative pivotal movement.
 2. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the means to detachably connect the support member to the base member comprises a slot in the base member, an enlarged head on the support member, said slot having an enlarged passage therethrough to receive the enlarged head and a transverse slot joined with the enlarged passage and to which the support member adjacent the head may be moved; a threaded portion on the support member adjacent the head; and a nut threadedly engaged with the threaded portion arranged to be engaged with the base portion to fix the support member against pivotal movement with relation to the base portion.
 3. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the threaded portion has opposed flat sides which may slidably move in the transverse slot to prevent rotation of the support member relative to the base member.
 4. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the slot in the base member includes an offset portion joined with the transverse slot whereby the upright member may be leaned in an angular direction with relation to the base member.
 5. The combination called for in claim 4 wherein the threaded portion has flat sides on opposite sides thereof slidably engaged with the transverse slot and with the offset slot to prevent rotation relative to either of said slots.
 6. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein each said slot has an enlarged rounded portion at the lower end thereof in which the lantern bail may freely rotate.
 7. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein each of said hooks on the angularly disposed legs includes an enlarged rounded portion on the upper edge thereof engageable with the lower rim of a lantern tank.
 8. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the enlarged head is rounded and the plate includes an outwardly formed cavity therein in which the slot is disposed.
 9. A lantern holder comprising, a base member having a concave surface defining a cavity therein and a curved slot extending through said concave surface communicating with said cavity; a passage having a width greater than the width of the slot extending through the concave surface; a support member extending through said slot; means on said support member adapted to support a lantern; a rounded head on said support member, said head having a width greater than the width of the slot but less than that of the passage; and means on the support member engageable with a surface of the base member to limit rotation of the rounded head in the cavity.
 10. The combination called for in claim 9 with the addition of means on the support membEr engageable with said base member to limit rotation of the support member relative to the base member about the longitudinal axis of the support. 